'79 C10 'muscle truck' Build

[SonOfRDgear]

I had some spare time after work today:

I just happened to stumble upon a piece of 1/2" aluminum flat stock the perfect size to make an ear! I was a little leery of welding onto the cast but it certainly appears to have come out well. A little cutting and drilling... good as new!!

 

[DRIVEN]

Repair looks good.

 

[olds307 and 403]

I had a long box identical colour with 2.76 gearing. I added an Olds 307, actually could get out of it's own way after that, Olds 350 was even better. The two stock sbc 350's were awful with that gearing. Deep gears and an OD trans are needed to move heavy trucks off the line. Or big torque which is why the Olds V8 is better in these trucks.

 

[SonOfRDgear]

I had a long box identical colour with 2.76 gearing. I added an Olds 307, actually could get out of it's own way after that, Olds 350 was even better. The two stock sbc 350's were awful with that gearing. Deep gears and an OD trans are needed to move heavy trucks off the line. Or big torque which is why the Olds V8 is better in these trucks.

I'm hoping to keep this truck around 3700 lbs. Seeing as how it has power nothing and no a/c, and i'm lightening it up a bit, I think thats entirely do-able. I honestly can't say what rear gears thing thing has though. If the previous owner was to be believed, the rear end came out of a 1 ton dually (its a 12-bolt, and it has a rear sway bar which i know the 1/2 tons didn't come with). If thats true it probably has 3:42 or 3:73 gears. I'll eventually either rebuild this rear end or get something better anyway.

 

[SonOfRDgear]

Well, I actually did some work today!!

front right suspension is pretty much all together. Now to work on the left side, get the wheel bearings and brakes on and get it down on its own feet!

 

[SonOfRDgear]

well, its finally back on its own wheels! Stage 1 is complete.

Tomorrow I'm going to work at getting the bed unbolted, and hopefully get it off so i can start tackling the rest of the frame.

 

[liquidh8]

I love the square bodies. I have an 83 C20, that one of these days will get some love. lol. My brother has an 85 crew cab duallie, 454 with a TH400, big ol truck.

 

[mac61891]

How's the progress?

 

[DRIVEN]

Looks like he hasn't been here since shortly after his last post.

 

[SonOfRDgear]

Sorry everyone, I know it's been a while since my last post... had to get caught up with life. I had to take a break from working on the truck for a while, but much progress has been made since then. Currently the cab and frame are up at East Coast Metal Works in Kingston NH getting work done. It's been a while, so theres going to be a lot of pictures in this one.

The passenger's door was hung today, as of this posting the outer rocker and cab corner should be welded on. Tomorrow morning I'll be heading back to the shop, and all the repairs should be done by then!